We all know it: most people in our organizations don’t think about us unless something goes wrong. We also know that when our teams do fast, excellent work, everything, and everyone else in the organization benefits. But keeping up that pace and that keen attention to detail can be taxing, leading to burnout and turnover, and getting approval for additional resources is rarely easy. How can we maintain that “well-oiled machine” – churning through gift processing and data management at an impressive pace with remarkable accuracy – while recognizing and honoring that we are not machines? Let’s talk about how to manage up, down, across, and within to maximize productivity, retention, collaboration, and (dare I say it?) joy in our work, while also setting expectations, acquiring valuable resources, and maintaining that coveted work-life balance.